Exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer Bob Greene has helped millions of people slim down, most recently with his online program TheBestLife.com. The best-selling author shares the sure-fire strategies for losing weight, protecting your health and living your best life.

If I were to ask you to name a gadget that basically everyone has in their home that can help you slim down and shape up, the last thing you'd probably say is the TV. After all, the television doesn't exactly conjure up pictures of fitness -- most people simply plop down on the couch and get lost in their favorite show along with a bag of chips or other empty-calorie food. Many experts point to the television as a major contributor to the obesity epidemic, and study after study continues to link TV watching to inactivity and an increased risk for a variety of diseases, both in children and adults.

But believe it or not, you can turn your TV into something good for your health, thanks to interactive video games like Nintendo Wii Fit. Researchers have found that for younger adults, an interactive video game workout, like boxing, sufficiently raised peoples' heart rates enough to provide a moderate-intensity workout, and that bowling did the same for older adults.

If it's been a while since you picked up a video game controller, you might be surprised by how things have changed. Video games used to require very little physical effort -- you could play virtually any sport by simply clicking a few buttons. Nintendo Wii requires much more activity. Now, you stand and use a motion-activated controller or foot board, while you run, jump or swing, to make your avatar (game character) do the moves on screen.

There are a number of interactive games you can do, including yoga, tennis and dance. I actually teamed up with EA SPORTS recently to create EA SPORTS Active, an interactive game for the Wii system that features resistance exercises and cardio workouts that will help improve your fitness level, strength, coordination, agility and balance.

These games are a great way to get in a workout when you're tight on time, or if you're coming back from an injury and need to gradually build up your endurance and strength. They're also an easy way to get started if you're new to exercise. Why? Games remove two major obstacles that many beginners face: Fear and anxiety. A lot of people who are just beginning to exercise may not know where to start. They don't feel comfortable going to the gym, they don't know how to use the machines, and they may feel self-conscious trying something new. With the Wii, you do a number of different activities in the privacy of your own home, and many games provide helpful tutorials and guidance to make sure you're doing the moves and activities correctly.

As with any workout, your goal is to reach an intensity level where you're winded, but still able to talk. Once you reach a certain fitness level, however, these games shouldn't be your sole workout because they might not be challenging enough to provide results.